~ This page is sponsored by Ann Davis ~

If you are related or researching this family, and would like to share information or photos, I'd really like to hear from you. William Starr was my husband's 2nd Great-Grandfather.

Only real research, along with others throughout the past 20 years, has gone into my efforts published here, not what I may think or what anyone ever heard or said.

1st off ~ ~ There is NO EVIDENCE of William Starr having a middle initial of "M".

There were so many Starr families in Pennsylvania that we may never know the origin of William Starr's father unless a WILL might be located or some document naming William's siblings or other information. If we had a marriage record for a sibling naming someone signing for a female sibling to marry, that may be of some help. The surname may have even been a spelling other than STAR or STARR in earlier times. If the census could tell us the EXACT age of WIlliam and his brother Richard, even that would help. A John Star is mentioned in a Ohio history book with Wlliam & Richard Starr, & Samuel Jackson. John Starr seems to have been the correct age to have been the age of father of William & Richard.

I love all the Indian stories regarding tales of adventures! Sorry, that's all they are at this point in time.

I'm not being narrow-minded, censuses, legal documents, etc are provable documents used to verify family history, and then we also have to disprove some things if we want a legimate family history.

What many people don't realize, is that to do actual research, ALL the family is researched, father, mother, children, and spouses of children and on & on. If one child were of Indian ancestry, then the brothers and sisters would also be of Indian ancestry, and along the way, some record hopefully would be found for one of these many people to give us the proof we need for the Indian ancestry connection.

Unless a family story or tradition can be proven, Native American heritage should not be considered fact. Because of the severe persecution that they endured, many Native Americans attempted to blend in with the white population and may even be documented as "white" in historical records. Therefore, it can be extremely difficult for a researcher to find any evidence of Native American ancestry in official records.

At the time of William's birth, from 1787 until 1803, the land that is now the state of Ohio was part of the Northwest Territory. It was during this era that several groups laid claim to sections of the Ohio Territory.

Husband of Lydia Jackson, married 14th of October 1815 Clinton County, Ohio. William died after 15th of February 1845, burial probably Hardin County, Tennessee. His widow and children, some already grown, moved to Harleton, Harrison County, Texas and are found in 1850 and 1860 Harrison County, Texas census. 1870 obviously not filmed for the Harleton area.

Two of Willliam's sisters list their father's place of birth as Pennsylvania. Since there was an older John Starr in Ohio when William and his brother Richard were residing in Ohio, it is most likely that John Starr was their father. Their Mother also was born in Pennsylvania as well according to two daughters (William's sisters) giving place of birth for their parents in censuses. William died in Tennessee, and his widow & children came to Texas between his death in 1845 and 1850, that's as far west as this family was to Indian territory that became Oklahoma before the birth of William and his siblings.

NOTE 2: Not possible Emma Jane Rider & James Starr were parents of William Starr. Emma Jane Rider was born 8 September 1842 & James Starr born February 1833. Parents NOT Bathsheba Cotton & John Starr either, Also Ancestry trees show Mary West and John Starr as parents of William. John Starr died 1808 an therefore could not have been the same John Starr that is mentioned in Brazelton's History of Hardin County, Tenn.. PLEASE ~ check birth and death dates.

Anything is possible but there is NO PROOF at this time that William Starr is a descendant of any Indian blood. His father's name is not known for certain, so how can it be proven William's father was full blood Indian without even knowing who the father was? We need to know his father before we can know his grandfather. If anyone has any REAL proof, I would appreciate any information regarding his heritage. "Verbal history" is not proof.

"Several years after the first settlements at Saltillo a company of hunters and trappers by the name of Stars and Jacksons settled the region between Middleton's and Hurricane Creeks. This company first came here from Ohio, and spent several years hunting and trapping for the beaver on White Oak Creek; they finally returned, sold their lands in that State, and moved with their families to this part of Hardin County".

Source: Brazelton's History of Hardin County, Tenn. This history seems to be about the early 1820's time period.

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State of Tennessee, Hardin County

I, William Starr, of said county and state afore said, being sound of mind but weak in body do make this my last will and testament hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me made at any time in manner and form following (To Wit)

First I give and bequeath that my beloved wife, Lydia Starr has control of all the land and property that I now have and to keep the same together until her death or widowhood or until my children become of age.

I request that James. W. Starr and Joel A. Starr to have each one of them a horse worth as much as my son William Starr has received of me as they become of age or marry. I also request that my daughters Elizabeth, Nancy, Rachel, Hetty, Elmira, Jany, Mary and Margaret to have each one of them a cow and one feather bed and furniture as they marry to have an equal part with my daughters. At her death or marriage, the balance of my household furniture and living stock to be equally divided between all of my daughters living.

My lands to be divided as follows; Christopher Starr is to have the piece of land where he now lives on consisting of eight acres and a half and the balance to be equally divided between William, James W., and Joel A. Starr and also request that Wm., James W., and Joel A. Starr to have all my farming, smith, and mechanical tools to be equally divided between the same.

I give unto my son Joel A. Starr my rifle gun, in testimony where I so here to set my hand and seal this February, the 15th day of 1845.

William Starr

Signed, sealed in the presence of us
Daniel Jones
William Jones

Source: Hardin County, Tn but provided by Eleanor R Briggs. Eleanor R Briggs is the person who hired a paid researcher in Hardin County that accidentally located the Will of William Starr behind a file cabinet. Ruth is the person that went the extra mile helping to locate the actual Will in Hardin County, Tenn.

Source: 1850, 1860 Harrison county, Tx census, 1830, 1840 Tennessee census, War Records Nal't Archives.

NOTE: The Daniel Jones named as witness in the above document is NOT the same Daniel Jones that married Elizabeth Starr. (below)

NOTE: Daughter Rachel Starr had already married Garrett Newman before WIlliam's death and had children, but still she is named in his Will as tho she were still single and living at home.

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Hardin Co., TN Deed Book Roll 30 Vol. J., Page 42, 7 Oct. 1852. Charles Jones sold "my interest being six shares out of eleven" of the William Starr grant.

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Sarah Starr had married Andrew Jones in 1841 and her name does not appear in his Will. But the document found in the Harrison County, Texas courthouse lists these names:

SOURCE: Deed Book K, page 135
Lydia Starr et al, to Charles Jones-Consideration: $160.15 Whereas by Grant #812 to William Starr, deceased: we Lydia Starr, Christopher Starr, Sarah Jones, formerly Sarah Starr, Elizabeth Starr and William, heirs of William Starr deceased - have sold all their equal and undivided interest in land in Civil District No. 12 for $160. 15 to Charles Jones. 14 October 1848

BUT - - Notice the dates of both documents. Andrew Jones married to 2nd wife, Mary Ann Newman.

SOURCE: Hardin Co., Tenn. Court Minutes, Book G., page 632:
(I) Jessie Hannah et al vs. Clark Newman. This court case was for the division of Garrett Newman's land. court date was 2 April 1866.
1. Lot #1 to Martha Newman for 30 acres and 96 poles
2. Lot #2 to Clark Newman for 25a and 80p
3. Lot #3 to Lydia Hannah, wife of Jessie Hannah for 31a
4. Lot #4 to Charlott Perkins, wife of E. S. Perkins for 18a and 60p
5. Lot #5 to William G. Newman for 19a and 64p
6. Lot #6 to Moses Newman for 23a and 34p
7. Lot #7 to Mary Ann Jones, wife of Andrew Jones for 20a and 40p
8. Lot #8 to the heirs of Jane Johnson, deceased, former wife of George
Johnson for 24a and 48p
9. Lot #9 to Elizabeth Churchwell, wife of G. W. Churchwell for 27a and 54p
10. Lot #10 to Wesley T(?) Newman for 28a and 56p
11. Lot #11 to Samuel Newman for 25a and 48p
12. Lot #12 to Lucy Tucker, wife of Joseph Tucker for 37a l lots were valued at $208.00

(#7 was Mary Ann Newman Starr Jones, wife of Andrew Jones. This case is dated 1866. Mary had lost her husband, James W. Starr in the Civil War. He died in Camp Nelson in 1862 and one year later she married Andrew Jones. It is said they had 21 children between them. After the war when Confederate money was worthless, $208 she received helped them financially.

NOTE: William's sister most likely, Elizabeth Starr, married Daniel Jones 13 Apr 1817 Wilmington, Clinton Co, Ohio where he married Lydia jackson and his brother Richard Starr married her sister Sarah Jackson. Daniel Jones was a shoemaker, he died 1876 St Louis, MO. buried Sugar Grove Cemetery, Union Twp, Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio. Memorial # 22105841. Elizabeth (Starr) Jones died 20 Apr 1873 Wilimington, Union Township, Clinton Co, Ohio. Also buried Sugar Grove Cemetery, Union Twp, Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio. Thus the Jones connection.

NOTE: Sisters Lydia, Rachel and Sarah Jackson were daughters of Samuel Jackson. Rachel married Garrett Newman, remaining in Tennessee.